Khamsone Sirimanivong
Vice Chair
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“I was born in Laos just one year before Laos changed political governments. Although I was just an infant when my family was exiled because of my father’s involvement with the Lao military, I remember quite a bit of the dramatic journey as it took us six years to escape. We finally emigrated to the states in 1981. My father never talked about Laos or the secret war when I
was a child and sadly he never would. He died when I was a teenager. His passing raised so many questions and inspired me to research our family history and that is how I came upon the Secret War. Years later, I discovered the mission of Legacies of War and I knew I had found my purpose. I feel deeply connected to my father, my history and my roots through this opportunity to serve on the Board and help further the great humanitarian work of Legacies for the people of Laos.”
My Story
Khamsone currently serves as President of Arizona Costume Institute at Phoenix Art Museum, which strives to preserve cultural and social history through clothing and design. She also sits on the board of ACEL - Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders, and on the board of Skykids AZ, which serves special needs and terminally ill children. She studied architecture at Arizona State University and fashion design at FIDM - Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco and Phoenix College. However her professional experience has been in marketing in various industries including bank corporations, tourism, real estate, property management, editorial and a few non-profits such as land conservation and community healthcare.
She has been both a member and officer of many civic, community and leadership organizations and programs since she was 15 years old, fulfilling a call to community service at an early age. She moonlights as a clothing designer with clients across the US, Germany, France, London, and Hong Kong and aspires to be a writer and share her family’s Asian-American experience. Her greatest accomplishment is raising three amazing children. She hopes her connection and efforts in the arts community will create awareness, unity and support to further the mission of Legacies.
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